Blackmail
by Micayasha
Summary: Rikku finds herself a few hundred Gil short, and discovers that contrary to popular belief, Rin is, on occasion, willing to make a compromise. RIN/RIKKU


_La Editor asked for Rin/Rikku - something I'd never thought of writing before. It was quite fun, though - I hope I've kept everyone in character. We don't see a great deal of Rin in either game._

* * *

They were soaking wet and half-asleep when they stumbled through the door. Rin was startled; it was really very late, and no one had come in for hours. He wasn't expecting any more business – he was only still behind the counter because he was counting the money in the till. He didn't entirely trust his shopkeeper and intended to make sure she hadn't pinched anything. He very much disliked trusting other people with his money.

It was the summoner Yuna and her party that had entered, he realized. He shouldn't have been surprised, he supposed – after all, most people crossing the Thunder Plains stayed the night here. Of course, most of them came at a decent hour.

"Good evening," he said, smiling politely as they approached the counter. "Are you seeking rooms?"

"Yes, please," Yuna said, smiling back despite her obvious exhaustion.

"At two hundred a room, that will be one thousand four hundred Gil, and I thank you for your patronage." Rin saw several guardians sigh and slump at the price but he made no apology other than his continued smile.

The blond boy dug in his pockets and handed over the Gil, looking just a little resentful. Rin thanked him once again.

"And I wanna see what you've got for sale!" Rikku bounded up to the counter, the only one of her party who seemed to be mostly awake.

"Rikku. How nice to see you again." Rin didn't ask what she was doing serving as a guardian – so long as she bought something, he didn't much care. He gestured behind him to the shelves stocked full of potions, eye drops, echo screens, and various other medicines, as well as distillers and maps. "We also have grenades under the counter" he added.

Rikku bit her lip as she considered, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I'll take three grenades and two hi-potions, then," she said at last.

"Splendid. That is one thousand one hundred Gil." Rin slid the items across the counter.

Rikku looked expectantly at the blond, who shrugged helplessly. "Uh, I'm out," he said. "I'm gonna go hit the hay. Ask Wakka or somebody." He took the key Rin handed him and dashed off.

It soon became apparent that nobody in the group had enough Gil. Rikku sighed, inspecting the coins she had collected from her friends as they had filed into their rooms. "All together, we have… six hundred," she said, glancing up at Rin with very large imploring eyes.

"I am sorry," he said. "That is not enough." He began to draw the items back, but Rikku cried out.

"Wait, wait wait wait! Um…" Rikku dug deeper in the pockets of her tiny shorts and drew out a coin, holding it up triumphantly. "Six hundred and _one_ Gil!"

Rin laughed.

Rikku began to pout. "There should be some sort of summoner-and-guardians discount or something."

"I will consider it," Rin said, and was of course lying through his teeth.

"Well… can I just give you an I.O.U.?" Rikku tried a sheepish smile.

"I am sorry, I can not accept that." Rin paused, considering, and then added, "Of course, I might accept something else."

"Yeah?" Rikku's whole face brightened up, and she cocked her head to the side. "What's that?"

"Perhaps a kiss?"

"_What?"_

Rikku looked shell-shocked. Rin's bland smile stayed carefully in place.

"Pervert," she said, wrinkling her nose. "Blackmailing innocent little girls!"

Rin could have pointed out that he was not much older than her, but all he said was, "You do have enough for six hi-potions or two grenades, of course. You are free to buy those."

"But I need _these_!" Rikku screwed up her face as she considered, staring longingly at the items. "Oh, you're mean."

And then, so rapidly that Rin barely saw her move, she had leaned in and was tugging on his collar, pulling him down. Her lips were delightfully warm and soft, and for someone who had been blackmailed into the embrace, she was rather enthusiastic about the whole thing.

Rin dared to brush her lower lip with his tongue, and her lips parted – and for the briefest of seconds he tasted the sweetness of a recently-administered potion and felt her tongue slide against his – but then she was pulling away, quick as a flash.

"You are blushing," he said as she gathered her purchases up in her arms.

"I am not," she protested, and tossed her hair out of her face. "Can I have my key, now?"

"Of course," Rin said obligingly, and holding it out. She took it, and he might have imagined it but he could have sworn she'd lingered just a little at the touch of their fingers.

"Oh, and Rikku," he called as she walked out, head held high.

"Yeah?" She paused, glancing back.

"Thank you for your patronage."

That time, no one could have denied the flush in her cheeks.

Rin smiled to himself and licked the honeyed taste of a potion from his lips.


End file.
